GCC wellness sector set to grow

Ritika Sharma / Emirates Business

Driven by demand, spa and wellness industry in the region is poised for a double digit growth in next two years, experts say. Coming years are expected to see a considerable rise of 19 percent in the region as far as the number of wellness brands or spas are concerned.
UAE alone is expecting a 100 percent increase in wellness industry-generated revenue with maximum number of wellness centres laced with latest technological trends in the sector.
Vandana Luthra, Founder & Vice Chairperson, VLCC Health Care Ltd, a beauty and wellness conglomerate represented in Asia, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Africa, told Emirates Business in an exclusive interview, “According to a recent report there are around 139 spa developments that are proposed to enter the GCC between 2015 and 2019–potentially increasing spa numbers in this region by 27 per cent.”
“These confirmed developments will see the numbers of spas increasing to 639, which reflects a 19 percent increase between now and 2018. Dubai, in particular, hosts the highest number of spas in the GCC, with more than 190 currently operating and another 34 spas in the pipeline,” she added. As of date, there are 20 VLCC wellness centres across the GCC, including 11 branches in the UAE, four in Qatar, two each in Oman and Bahrain and one in Kuwait.
Hotels and international brands are recognising the burgeoning sector and this has led to constriction of many facilities that are expected to become functional in next few years, thereby increasing the revenue generation capacity of the industry on the regional and global levels.
Talking to Emirates Business about the possible factors that are supporting this growth, Elan Pintoff, a travel researcher based in Dubai said, “There are a number of factors that are fueling this growth. Tourism is one of them. Wellness tourism is extremely popular in the region, especially in UAE. Reports state that a wellness tourist spends 130 percent more than other tourists. This shows how in demand the industry services are.”
“Another thing that is encouraging the spa owners is the fact that recent years have seen an increase in number of male spa-goes. This is because, with time, the concept of spas has evolved from mere a massage session to something that promises to rejuvenate you and has an effect on both your mind and body,” he added.